Kooltronic tells Hopewell it will build housing itself if Pennytown project is blocked

In a file photo, part of the Pennytown Shopping Center in Hopewell TownshipMartin Griff/The Times of Trenton

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP — As residents continue to fight the township’s plan to partner with Kooltronic Inc. to develop a walkable community near the old Pennytown site, an attorney for Kooltronic warned opponents that the company has every intention of developing its property even if the joint project falls through.

Attorney Gerald Muller said opponents should be wary of what they wish for in their attempt to stop the development of 350 housing units, commercial space and a community center near historic Marshall’s Corner.

“We certainly are prepared to go ahead with a development separately if we can’t go ahead with the township,” Muller told a standing-room-only crowd at the township planning board meeting.

It was the first time Kooltronic has spoken publicly about the project that has generated a backlash of public criticism. Neighbors say the plan is too intense for the area and will ruin their quality of life.

Muller warned if Kooltronic moves forward with its own development project, the result could mean up to 255 single family homes on the site instead of the 228 mix of town houses, condos and single family homes proposed under the joint redevelopment plan.

A financial impact report issued later in the meeting by planning consultant Sydney Wong revealed that single family homes – by virtue of their size - bring more school aged children to an area than other types of housing units.

Mayor Vanessa Sandom said neighbors are mistaken if they think that stopping the redevelopment proposal will keep the area free of development.

“I understand their concerns about development but in this case it’s clear that Kooltronic will be developing their property,” Sandom said. “By inviting Kooltronic to develop their land in conjunction with the township’s plan we’re hoping to guide that development in a way that best suits the area and the township.”

Under the joint redevelopment plan, Kooltronic has agreed to cluster the housing on its property, Sandom said. If they go it alone, they could spread the homes over their entire property, creating unwanted sprawl, she said.

Hopewell Township purchased the 28-acre former Pennytown site – located on Route 31 between - with the idea of locating 70 affordable housing units there. The below-market housing is needed to help Hopewell meet its state fair-housing mandate.

The township then approached Kooltronic, Inc. about a joint venture to develop a bigger project encompassing 76 acres owned by Kooltronic on the other side of Pennington Hopewell Road.

The plan calls for 228 housing units on Kooltronic’s land with the remaining 122 units and all the commercial/community space located on the township-owned land.

According to the financial impact report, the proposal would bring about 775 more residents the township and add about 97 students to Hopewell Valley’s regional school district. The district has said that declining enrollment has left room in the schools to absorb the additional students but would require hiring additional teachers.

But if Kooltronic were to develop 255 single family homes on its site, the number of school children would jump, according to Wong’s calculations.

In other reports from the meeting, consultants concluded that the site would be able to sustain the water and sewer demands of the redevelopment project.

Consultants found that the site’s water constraints could be addressed by reconfiguring the development to make room for more wells. Reconfiguring the original site design requires the number of planned units to drop from 365 to 350. Additionally, the soil limitations at the site could be addressed by repurposing wastewater to limit the number of gallons disposed of on site. The repurposing could include using the treated water for washing clothes or flushing toilets. It could also be used to irrigate a nearby golf course.

A final decision on whether the township should move ahead with the redevelopment project will be made by the end of the month.